You will not find his picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated nor even Rolling Stone. You will barely find him in the Washington Post sports pages, but Ian Desmond is a rock star. He is a rock, one of the most solid players on the Washington Nationals roster and he is emerging as a […]

The Hall of Fame has announced that eight players (and two executives) are to be considered for induction into the Hall in what is being called the Golden Age Ballot. Sixteen individuals (including some Hall of Famers) will vote for the candidates on Dec. 5, 2011 at the Baseball Writers Winter Meetings and twelve votes […]

The recent collapse of the Red Sox has brought into question the leadership of the team. Even though Terry Francona will not be returning as manager, it is clear that areas that the front office of Boston are secure in from year to year are drafting and developing their farm system. Each year they stock […]

As the home stretch to the playoffs approaches, it is time to start thinking about the individual player awards. In particular, the American League MVP race has been tight all year, with no clear-cut candidate having completely separated themselves from the pack. Fortunately, I have evaluated the evidence and determined the current frontrunner for the […]

Â Â Â Â One of the charms of spring training that builds so much momentum for a baseball season is the great writing that emerges, and the memorable stories those in the baseball-writing business dig up.Â Â Â Â Â Â Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin brought to the surface the fact Brian Daubach, who managed in the Can-Am League at […]

Jim Thome recently passed Mark McGwire for the #9 spot on the all-time home run list with 584 round trippers.Â So, an obvious question arises: Just how good is Jim Thome?Â Or, better yet, does his career really reflect Hall of Fame numbers? The answer is Yes.Â At the end of the 2009 season, Jim […]

The confrontation between batter and hitter defines baseball. Â No one understands the scientific dynamic of those opposing forces better than Dave Baldwin, late sixties bullpen stalwart for the Washington Senators, a geneticist and engineer who studies batters and pitchers as mechanical and neurological entities. Â His insights are fascinating and offer some important instructive insight into […]

With a mere 11 days to go until the deadline for 2010 draftees to reach agreement with their respective teams there are a number of interesting stories worth monitoring. As of this morning, 25 of the first 50 picks have yet to sign a contract â€“ including 7 of the first 10. The surprising part […]

Here is the short answer.Â According to the numbers alone, Barry Bonds had the #2 best career of any position player of the modern era (behind only Babe Ruth) and Roger Clemens is the greatest right-handed pitcher of the period (since 1920).Â And yet neither of these great players may make it into the Hall […]

â€œMariano Rivera is the best reliever in baseball history.â€Â If I were to make such a claim, there would surely be some fans who would agree with me and many who would not.Â And, of course, all would want to know on what basis I made such a claim. Bill Jamesâ€™ Win Shares system is […]

Itâ€™s a tough transition for any player this late in the game to switch from being a position player to a pitcher full time, or vice versa. That player has spent years gaining experience and building credibility at a specific position, only to have to start from square one again and practically learn a new […]

Back in July 1980, the Boston Globe recalled that Jimmie Foxx’s “final appearance in the majors was as a pitcher. “In 1945, when he was 37, Foxx had slipped badly and was hanging on by his fingertips with the Phillies. One day, Ben Chapman, Phils’ manager, came to Jimmie.” Chapman told Foxx, “We’re desperate. Would […]